imagine "The Omega Man" on amphetamines...

Rating: Null/10 (11 March 2003)

Before I start my review, let me make it clear: I love the end-of-the-world and zombie genres -- movies like THE OMEGA MAN, DAMNATION ALLEY, George Romero's ...OF THE DEAD series, John Carpenter's ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK etc. I think all these movies had an influence on Danny Boyle and his screenwriter Alex Garland.
When I was in London on vacation last fall, I remember seeing the posters in the Underground for this flick. But since it's not out on video here in the U.S. (and was it even released in theaters?), I had to track down an inferior bootleg copy on the net. Yes, this movie had me so riveted, I watched a crappy digitized version -- that's how well directed 28 DAYS LATER is! Storywise, there's nothing new that you haven't seen elsewhere. And what appeared to me at first as a cheap way to develop drama and conflict (I'm referring to the, uh, use of the females in the later half) was paid off quite nicely by Boyle and his screenwriter. But that end sequence! How primal can you get?! Boyle's direction here is top notch -- he builds atmosphere and suspense and nervous tension perfectly throughout this whole piece.
Simply put: A must for horror fans!